anna

we are going skiing to breckenridge next january and are a bit concerned about the possible problems caused by the high altitud - is it really that bad?? neither of us have blood pressure problems, but we wonder if we should leave a couple of days to rest before we start skiing ....

any advice on this?? thank you in advance
-anna

Bob Brown

I have been to Colorado quite a few times, but I am not a skier. I did, however, haul backpacks of 30+ pounds over some high passes.
I begin to feel the altitude above 6500 feet, and by 8500 I am really feeling the effects of thiner air. An MD friend of mine says that altitude sickness does not usually bother you until 7,500 feet.
But I think that is based on oxygen conversion by the heart/lung system of a person in good condition.
If you are in good physical condition, I don't think you will have much of a problem adjusting. But, at 9,000 feet you can have slight headaches and perhaps loss of appetite. Different people respond in different ways, of course.
If you can spend a night at about 6,000 feet before going up to Breckenridge, which is about 9,300 feet. That will give your body a little time to adjust.

At 10,700 feet, even after having been at altitude for 9 days, I would gasp for breath on a task as simple as bending over to get water out of the creek.
Of course the bending over did not allow my lungs to expand, but at 5,000 feet I don't think I would have been bothered.
So play it by how you feel physically.

gb

A couple of things to think about. If you use an inhaler (asthma or allergies) it will certainly help. Drinking a lot of water -a quart a day helps keep altitude headaches away. Skiing downhil will not be that much of a problem. The problem comes when you are doing things like putting on your skis, carrying your skis, getting up from falling, and especially walking up a hill in skis. Even though I live in Denver, these activities will cause you to take deep breaths, and get out of breath quickly. If you are going cross country skiing, you will certainly feel it. You might take a ski conditioning class in your hometown, or take the steps instead of the elevator to help you lung capacity while moving. Yoou shouldn't have altitude sickness in lodging at the base or in town. I think you are at about 8,000 feet. And when sking down, you are just not in that altitude for that long. However, the remedy for altitude sickness is to go to a lower altitude. You would likely need to the typical kind of rest you need after traveling, not really too much more. You should avoid alcohol, and be careful of staying too long in hot tubs in the mountains without keeping hydrated.

gb

Oops, the base of the town of Breckenridge is 9,500 feet. So, the top is probably around 11,000 feet. Still, around town, you shouldn't have too much problem. Just take in it easy on your first day, if you feel tired

Ginny

Watch the booze the first couple of days, it makes it much worse and drink tons of water.

Anne

We ski the Rockies every January with a group of eight in good shape that are mid-40s to early 60s. Breck is the only resort where all but one of us feels the altitude upon arrival, and we do feel it at the town level. In our view, certainly not enough of a problems to arrive early or to ski elsewhere. The altitude effect makes you sort of tired and gives a bit of a headache for the first day or two. We've skied less hard on the first day and gone in early. The second day, we ski at about 80-90% and stay out all day. Breck has a lot to offer: the town area is one of the most friendly of the various places we've skiied and we have gone back twice. It's, IMHO, very good value for the money. The downside of Breck is if it's cold & windy, the top of Peaks 10 & 9 are tough going up the chairlifts (even the express ones). We've run into that in January. If possible, though, try to time your trip for the snow sculpture contest week. It's amazing. The post above re: laying off the booze and drinking a lot of water has worked well, in our experience, to get past the altitude effects.

Teresa

We live in far western Nebraska where the altitude is around 3000 ft. Even living at a fairly altitude, I occasionally have a few bouts of nausea and dizziness the first day or so we're in Breckenridge or Vail and I'm only in my 30's. Previous posters have given you excellent advice--maybe skip skiing the first day or only ski a half day, don't drink alcohol till Day 2 and drink all the water and non-carbonated beverages that you can. My husband and I once made the huge mistake of attempting to bicycle up Vail Pass the first day of our vacation--not a smart move. Take time to enjoy the beauty and wonders of nature at a leisurely pace until your body is acclimated to the climate--and have fun!

Lexma90

I live in Denver, and have a condo in Breck. The previous postings say it all about the altitude. Remember, most people don't get altitude SICKNESS (which you can definitely get at 9,500 ft), though almost all of us can feel the altitude (I live at 5,600 feet, and can tell the difference when we go up to Breck at 9,500, though it's not bothersome). The remedy for altitude sickness is to go to a lower altitude.

Another factor produced by the altitude is that the sun's effect is much stronger. You'll definitely need goggles or sunglasses to ski, and ALWAYS put on sun block. Other than that, have fun! Breck is a great town, Breckenridge is a nice resort, and there's lots more in Summit Co. that's easily accessible.